


pebbles

by Veksur



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Family Feels, Gen, Pain, Sad and Happy, StarClan (Warriors), feels in general, lots of pain, swiftbreeze is a good mom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 11:38:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16196777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veksur/pseuds/Veksur
Summary: Spottedleaf dug her claws into the ethereal dirt beneath her. Or wasshethe ethereal one? Everything was so blurry. Or maybe she was just crying. So much was wrong.Everything hurt and was numb at the same time. She felt like she was going to throw up.She wanted to go home.





	pebbles

"Oh-" Spottedleaf choked on a sob. She could still feel the ghost of the claws ripping open her neck, rivers of blood pouring out of her body. She panicked, reaching up frantically to put pressure on the nonexistent wound. She doubled over, crying and gagging. Her mouth still had the faint taste of blood.

This wasn't supposed to happen- she wasn't supposed to die like this. What would happen to the kits she failed to save? What would happen to the clan without a medicine cat? 

She forced herself to calm down and assess her surroundings.

She had only a vague idea of where she was- not quite Starclan and not quite the world of the living, either. She had seen this place, many times before, in her visions. Its where the Starclan cats came to visit with the living ones. She couldn't see her physical (dead) body, which was probably for the best.

She knew what would happen. A cat from Starclan would come for her, and take her away from this world- but she didn't want to leave. Not yet. There were so many things she had to do, still. Why was Starclan so cruel? Why did they take her so young? She hadn't even taken an apprentice yet, and she still had yet to guide Firepaw to his destiny. 

Spottedleaf dug her claws into the ethereal dirt beneath her. Or was she the ethereal one? Everything was so blurry. Or maybe she was just crying. So much was wrong.

Everything hurt and was numb at the same time. She felt like she was going to throw up. 

She wanted to go home.

"Spottedleaf," a familiar voice sounded above her. Oh, she was on the ground. When had she fallen to the ground?

A paw rested gently on her shoulder. Spottedleaf didn’t look up, she knew who it was.

"Spottedleaf, darling," Swiftbreeze's voice sounded softly again, pulling Spottedleaf's heart into a thousand pieces. She was crying harder now, but she was only half aware of it. 

Her mother curled around her, pulling her into a soft embrace that she used to do all the time when Spottedleaf was a kit. She found herself burying her face into her Swiftbreeze's warm fur, taking a deep breath of her scent. Spottedleaf shifted closer and her sobs quieted momentarily as she let herself be held.

She felt a gentle rasping on her head and shoulders, between the quiet 'its okay's and 'youre alright's. 

"I dont wanna be dead, mama," Spottedleaf said, her words nearly cut off by a shuddering sob. She hadn't- it hadn't been a reality, that she was dead, until she said it out loud. 

"I know, I know. Its okay," Swiftbreeze rasped her tongue over her ear, "its going to be okay."

\--

Spottedleaf doesn't know how long they lay like that, but it was long enough for her to calm down a bit, which meant it was probably a long time.

Swiftbreeze stood carefully and motioned for Spottedleaf to do so as well. Now that she had some time to calm down, her anger and fear had fizzled out into curiosity and apprehension. She took a closer look at her surroundings, now that the sense of urgency and panic were gone.

It was-

Beautiful.

Everything was basked in a soft, ethereal glow. The distant sky was a beautiful twilight orange, and silverpelt glowed brighter than she had ever seen before. She felt like she could reach out and touch it.

After a moment, she noticed it- a soft, sprinkling rain was falling. She closed her eyes and listened to the soft pitter patter for a while, letting it soothe her mind. 

Swiftbreeze padded over, slipping in beside her. Spottedleaf leaned on her mother, letting her eyes slip closed again. It was so… peaceful. She was still scared, of course. Absolutely terrified. But now it seemed like she could, with time, make this her home. 

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

“Mama, is- are the others here, too?” Spottedleaf winced at how shaky her voice was.

Swiftbreeze stood, and for a second Spottedleaf thought she had said something wrong, but her mother simply moved to sit in front of her.  
“Are you ready to see them?” she questioned.

“No,” Spottedleaf said, honestly, “maybe in- in a little bit.”

Swiftbreeze rested her chin on Spottedleaf’s head, almost purring too loudly to talk. Spottedleaf burrowed into her mother’s fur in response.

"I've missed you so much, little pebble." Swiftbreeze meowed quietly. 

She laughed softly at the old nickname. "I missed you too, mom."


End file.
